Click here to download the sermon file.
Recap of 9/27/09:
1. Though circumstances are pointing Jacob and his family toward Egypt (God’s preservation and elevation of Joseph in Egypt, Pharaoh’s offer, famine in Canaan), Jacob needed the assurance of God’s word, which he gets, before he continues on from Beersheba into Egypt. Circumstances alone are not enough when determining the will of God.
2. Four scriptural observations concerning God’s will:
-before God’s will involves an action, it involves an attitude. 2 Corinthians 8:5
-renewing our minds is foundational to knowing God’s will. Romans 12:1,2; Hebrews 5:11-6:1a
-prayer is essential to knowing the will of God. Colossians 1:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
-the flesh (i.e. the sin nature) and Satan seek to deter us from the will of God. 1 Peter 4:2; 2 Timothy 2:24-26; 1 Thessalonians 2:18
3. Patrick Morley’s principles of effective decision-making:
-make decisions according to the Word of God. If your decision contradicts Scripture, it’s a bad decision.
-avoid foolish decision that test God. Don’t put yourself in a position which requires a miracle to bail you out.
-avoid decisions that reduce your worship and service to God. Don’t get caught up in the rat race and chase phony gods.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
I Am Joseph!
Click here to download the sermon file.
Recap of 9/20/09:
1. Joseph’s character had been forged in the furnace of affliction. His faith was tested and came forth as gold. Joseph recognized God’s hand in his life. What sustained him was his certain belief that: “…God’s will, not man’s, was the controlling reality of his life.” (Ross). That was the secret to his ability to accept his circumstances and to forgive those who had wronged him.
2. In our walk and especially in our response to the wrongs done to us we must: 1) have the right perspective, God’s will is the controlling reality of our lives; and 2) Out of that perspective must grow the attitude that we can take all that life’s circumstances and people can throw at us with grace, forgiveness, and peace.
3. “It is no matter who starts our trial, whether man, or devil or even our own foolish selves, if God permits it to reach us, he has by this permission made the trial His own, and will turn it for us into a chariot of love which will carry our souls to a place of blessing that we could not have reached in any other way….Joseph was sold into Egypt by the wickedness of his brethren, but God made their wickedness the chariot that carried Joseph to his place of triumph…” (Hannah Whitall Smith quoted in Genesis in the God’s Word for the Biblically Inept series.
Recap of 9/20/09:
1. Joseph’s character had been forged in the furnace of affliction. His faith was tested and came forth as gold. Joseph recognized God’s hand in his life. What sustained him was his certain belief that: “…God’s will, not man’s, was the controlling reality of his life.” (Ross). That was the secret to his ability to accept his circumstances and to forgive those who had wronged him.
2. In our walk and especially in our response to the wrongs done to us we must: 1) have the right perspective, God’s will is the controlling reality of our lives; and 2) Out of that perspective must grow the attitude that we can take all that life’s circumstances and people can throw at us with grace, forgiveness, and peace.
3. “It is no matter who starts our trial, whether man, or devil or even our own foolish selves, if God permits it to reach us, he has by this permission made the trial His own, and will turn it for us into a chariot of love which will carry our souls to a place of blessing that we could not have reached in any other way….Joseph was sold into Egypt by the wickedness of his brethren, but God made their wickedness the chariot that carried Joseph to his place of triumph…” (Hannah Whitall Smith quoted in Genesis in the God’s Word for the Biblically Inept series.
Monday, September 14, 2009
The Substitute
Click here to download the sermon file.
Recap of 9/13/09:
1. “We imagine we would be all right if a big crisis arose; but the big crisis will only reveal the stuff we are made of, it will not put anything into us. ‘If God gives the call, of course I will rise to the occasion.’ You will not unless you have risen to the occasion in the workshop, unless you have been the real thing before God there. If you are not doing the thing that lies nearest, because God engineered it; when the crisis comes instead of being revealed as fit, you will be revealed as unfit. Crises always reveal character.” (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest) This is the lesson of Genesis 44: crises reveal character; and character is not formed in a minute.
2. Joseph sets up a final test of his brothers’ character. Have they changed? Have they grown, especially in relationship with God? Have their attitudes changed? Do they have concern for Jacob and Benjamin even above their own concerns?
3. All that they trusted in/counted on, was taken away; their word, their money, their integrity.
4. The test is set up in such a way that to save their own skins they would have to betray Benjamin (as they had Joseph 20+ years earlier).
5. Not only do they not betray Benjamin but Judah offers to take his place as a slave so that Benjamin might be releases and save Jacob from a grief that would kill him; a wonderful picture of the later descendant of Judah, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, Jesus Christ, who would offer Himself as a substitute for sinners on the cross of Calvary.
Recap of 9/13/09:
1. “We imagine we would be all right if a big crisis arose; but the big crisis will only reveal the stuff we are made of, it will not put anything into us. ‘If God gives the call, of course I will rise to the occasion.’ You will not unless you have risen to the occasion in the workshop, unless you have been the real thing before God there. If you are not doing the thing that lies nearest, because God engineered it; when the crisis comes instead of being revealed as fit, you will be revealed as unfit. Crises always reveal character.” (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest) This is the lesson of Genesis 44: crises reveal character; and character is not formed in a minute.
2. Joseph sets up a final test of his brothers’ character. Have they changed? Have they grown, especially in relationship with God? Have their attitudes changed? Do they have concern for Jacob and Benjamin even above their own concerns?
3. All that they trusted in/counted on, was taken away; their word, their money, their integrity.
4. The test is set up in such a way that to save their own skins they would have to betray Benjamin (as they had Joseph 20+ years earlier).
5. Not only do they not betray Benjamin but Judah offers to take his place as a slave so that Benjamin might be releases and save Jacob from a grief that would kill him; a wonderful picture of the later descendant of Judah, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, Jesus Christ, who would offer Himself as a substitute for sinners on the cross of Calvary.
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Between a Rock and a Banquet
Click here to download the sermon file.
Recap of 9/6/09:
1. Jacob was subjected to what J. Oswald Sanders, in the book Spiritual Leadership calls a searching test of leadership, the impossible situation. Sanders concludes: “The bracing lesson is that God delights to shut people up to Himself and then, in response to their trust, display His power and grace in doing the impossible.”
2. When we do not look for God in our situations (as Jacob in Genesis 43) we become negative, pessimistic, resigned to life’s curves, indecisive, and reluctant to lead. We turn to self-pity and blame.
3. Genesis 43 provides us with an illustration of salvation through the actions of Joseph and his father and brothers. Like the brothers we have wronged God and rejected Him. We have sought to approach Him on our own terms, attempting to appease Him with our “gifts,” i.e. good works. Yet God shuts us up to only one way, the way of faith. When we come to Him by faith, He receives us and lavishly provides for us. The brothers expected and deserved judgment and prison, they received gracious acceptance.
Recap of 9/6/09:
1. Jacob was subjected to what J. Oswald Sanders, in the book Spiritual Leadership calls a searching test of leadership, the impossible situation. Sanders concludes: “The bracing lesson is that God delights to shut people up to Himself and then, in response to their trust, display His power and grace in doing the impossible.”
2. When we do not look for God in our situations (as Jacob in Genesis 43) we become negative, pessimistic, resigned to life’s curves, indecisive, and reluctant to lead. We turn to self-pity and blame.
3. Genesis 43 provides us with an illustration of salvation through the actions of Joseph and his father and brothers. Like the brothers we have wronged God and rejected Him. We have sought to approach Him on our own terms, attempting to appease Him with our “gifts,” i.e. good works. Yet God shuts us up to only one way, the way of faith. When we come to Him by faith, He receives us and lavishly provides for us. The brothers expected and deserved judgment and prison, they received gracious acceptance.
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Everything Is Against Me!
Click here to download the sermon file.
Recap of 8/30/09:
1. Genesis 43 recap: Joseph’s brothers come down to Egypt to secure grain for the famine has reached the land of Canaan. He recognizes them but they do not recognize him.
2. Lessons from chapter 43:
-from Joseph: he shows no bitterness or tendency toward revenge. He is living out the name he gave his first born son, Manasseh, “God has made me forget all my trouble.” His harsh treatment of his brothers was a test designed to bring conviction upon them, to “stir up their consciences” and to see if they had changed.
-from the brother: sin can not be hidden indefinitely, it will be found out. Conviction of sin should bring repentance (a change of mind) and confession to God. (Psalm 32; 51; 1 John 1:9)
-from Jacob: Jacob was sure that everything was working against him. In truth God was working everything together for his good (Romans 8:28). Because he didn’t look for or reckon on God in his situation, he became negative and resigned to his situation.
3. Application from chapter 43:
-Who do we need to forgive? Do we keep a written or unwritten list of those who’ve wronged us?
-What sin do we need to own? To confess?
-Are we looking for God in our situations, or do we discount what He may be doing? Remember, when you think things are as bad as they can get—they are better than you think!
Recap of 8/30/09:
1. Genesis 43 recap: Joseph’s brothers come down to Egypt to secure grain for the famine has reached the land of Canaan. He recognizes them but they do not recognize him.
2. Lessons from chapter 43:
-from Joseph: he shows no bitterness or tendency toward revenge. He is living out the name he gave his first born son, Manasseh, “God has made me forget all my trouble.” His harsh treatment of his brothers was a test designed to bring conviction upon them, to “stir up their consciences” and to see if they had changed.
-from the brother: sin can not be hidden indefinitely, it will be found out. Conviction of sin should bring repentance (a change of mind) and confession to God. (Psalm 32; 51; 1 John 1:9)
-from Jacob: Jacob was sure that everything was working against him. In truth God was working everything together for his good (Romans 8:28). Because he didn’t look for or reckon on God in his situation, he became negative and resigned to his situation.
3. Application from chapter 43:
-Who do we need to forgive? Do we keep a written or unwritten list of those who’ve wronged us?
-What sin do we need to own? To confess?
-Are we looking for God in our situations, or do we discount what He may be doing? Remember, when you think things are as bad as they can get—they are better than you think!
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